Short-Term Optical Variability in Broad Absorption Line QSOs

Abstract

We present the first results from a pilot program to monitor the short-term optical variability in broad absorption line system QSOs. Intranight optical variations of 5% were detected on timescales of 1 hr in QSOs 0846+156 and 0856+172. Further, the mean magnitude level decreased in the two objects by 0.05 and 0.15 mag, respectively, during the period of our observations. The observed light curves are quite similar to those previously seen in the flat-spectrum radio-loud sources, especially the BL Lacertae objects, and can provide important constraints for the origin of microvariability and also a possible evolutionary link between the radio-loud and the radio-quiet QSOs.